


Where Have You Been?

by afrocurl



Category: Veronica Mars (TV), Veronica Mars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, F/M, Inspired by Music
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-17
Updated: 2014-08-17
Packaged: 2018-02-13 11:24:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2148939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrocurl/pseuds/afrocurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The whole idea for this came from listen to Reel Big Fish's "Where Have You Been?" last week at a concert.  The bolded texts are the lyrics.   No infringement on their copyrights either.  Thanks to <a class="i-ljuser-profile" href="http://leucocrystal.livejournal.com/profile"><img class="i-ljuser-userhead"/></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="http://leucocrystal.livejournal.com/"><b>leucocrystal</b></a> and <a class="i-ljuser-profile" href="http://moire2.livejournal.com/profile"><img class="i-ljuser-userhead"/></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="http://moire2.livejournal.com/"><b>moire2</b></a> for the beta.  Hugs to <a class="i-ljuser-profile" href="http://misa-05.livejournal.com/profile"><img class="i-ljuser-userhead"/></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="http://misa-05.livejournal.com/"><b>misa_05</b></a> and <a class="i-ljuser-profile" href="http://shangri--la.livejournal.com/profile"><img class="i-ljuser-userhead"/></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="http://shangri--la.livejournal.com/"></a><b>shangri__la</b> for telling me that this general idea wasn't crap either.   At this point all mistakes are mine and mine alone.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Where Have You Been?

**Author's Note:**

> The whole idea for this came from listen to Reel Big Fish's "Where Have You Been?" last week at a concert. The bolded texts are the lyrics. No infringement on their copyrights either. Thanks to [](http://leucocrystal.livejournal.com/profile)[**leucocrystal**](http://leucocrystal.livejournal.com/) and [](http://moire2.livejournal.com/profile)[**moire2**](http://moire2.livejournal.com/) for the beta. Hugs to [](http://misa-05.livejournal.com/profile)[**misa_05**](http://misa-05.livejournal.com/) and [](http://shangri--la.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://shangri--la.livejournal.com/)**shangri__la** for telling me that this general idea wasn't crap either. At this point all mistakes are mine and mine alone.

**You called me up last night in tears and said you missed me after all these years.**  
 **Well I’ve been waiting here so long, I’ve gotten over it since you've been gone.**  
 **You called me late last night again and said you're finished with your new boyfriend.**  
 **Asked if you could come back home- so sorry that you left me all alone.**  


Logan finally realized that he wasn’t meant to have happy memories of graduation ceremonies.

Sitting alone in his suite at the Grand, Logan felt like he was being haunted by the past. Unlike four years ago, there was no party held by his friends here as a send off to four great years. In the end, he graduated Hearst with only Dick at his side, and their friendship was still one based only on a mutual love of pussy, surfing and video games. Dick, however, was leaving for the Caymans again, and a life outside of Neptune.

Veronica was still happily with Piz, and with her went Wallace and Mac.

If he had to admit it, he was still stuck virtually friendless and alone.

_Shit does life suck._

Pulling out a beer from the fridge he took a long drag on the bottle and contemplated what to do with his night. Years of doing the same thing had taught him that a night at the Seventh Veil wasn’t going to bring him any closer to a healthy relationship. Sullen moments didn’t really suit him, so he grabbed for the remote in search of something to distract him.

E! was showing the Tinseltown Diaries of Aaron again—it was close to the four year anniversary. _Fucking Eh!_ The rest of the television was filled with equally inane shows, and so Logan turned on his stereo hoping to drown out the night with something other than beer.

He chose to listen to that Gnarls Barkley album he remembered from that summer four years ago. _Damn fucking memories._ The songs echoed through the room, and it took a ring from his cell phone to destroy the perfectly tortured reverie he was in.

Scanning the face of the phone, Logan raised an eyebrow at the name on the screen: Veronica.

_What in the world is she doing calling me? I haven’t done anything to warrant her attention recently. In fact, I don’t think I’ve seen her for more than a few minutes all year._

Of course, that thought would serve him no good when going into battle with his ex, and so he pushed it down, choosing instead to act the uninterested part of a causal acquaintance.

“Hello,” he said into the phone after he flipped it open.

He heard her stutter on the opposite line before saying anything. “Hi, Logan. How are you?”

“Well, I have a bottle of Stella Artois n my hand, and there’s no one in the suite, so I’m doing _just_ great. Why do you ask, Mars?”

“Um…well, I…” she stammered again. “I wanted to come over. I just got in a huge fight with Piz and Wallace and Mac are out celebrating with their families. Dad had to run off to catch some bail jumper.”

Not knowing how to respond, Logan stayed silent as the words spoken sunk in.

If he had to be honest with himself, he would admit that Veronica still meant the world to him—the three or so years apart hadn’t done anything to make him think she wasn’t the only one he’d ever really love. Of course, the string of quick relationships he’d had after her was more proof than he wanted to give her credit for. _Of course the damn Dispenser did something._ Sure it had to be years after Logan had given up hope of ever actually getting back with Veronica, but it didn’t surprise him at all.

“Ok,” he finally spoke. “What am I supposed to say to that, Veronica? I know you’ll be over in fifteen minutes, or… are you already outside the door?” He shifted off the couch and padded toward the door.

Opening the door quickly, he was greeted by his petite ex-girlfriend, phone by her ear, with tears inching down her face.

He watched as she slowly walked into the suite and sat on the couch. Flicking off the sounds of “Crazy”, Logan followed her and gave her some space on the couch.

Instead of just spilling whatever the fight with Piz out, Veronica sat silently.

Logan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to figure out what to do.

“What’s going on, Veronica? You can’t just come over here and expect me to make it all better. I’ve got no clue what the problem is.”

She wiped the tears away from her eyes, before she curled into a tight ball. “Did I say you needed to do anything, Logan?”

“No, but you haven’t been here since you stormed out after Madison, so I don’t know what you expect. I’m not your personal lap dog.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Logan watched as Veronica uncurled from the couch and started to sit up. “Fine, Logan. Be a jackass.” She pushed off the couch, and stormed out of the room, slamming the door.

_Fuck—that didn’t go well._

The beer in his hand was well past the skunk phase, so he went back to the fridge, grabbed another and put the CD back on. It was best not to think of Veronica at a moment like this.

~*~

Another night alone, Logan sipped another beer and tried to think of something to amuse himself.

As soon as he had figured out that he could see how Heather was doing without seeming like a total loser, a knock on the door interrupted his call.

Veronica stood on the other side of the door, looking much like she had the night before.

He gave her a strange look, before allowing her to enter the room.

“What is it this time, Veronica? You’re going to need to talk to me if you expect any sympathy.”

She sucked in some air as she tried to stop her nose from running. “I broke up with him,” she said flatly.

“Color me shocked, Veronica. Really, I’m surprised it latest this long.” He walked to his min-bar, having decided that Veronica was in need of booze to get over this situation.

“I know I fuck up, Logan,” she commented, as he walked to the couch.

“Understatement of the century, Mars.”

“Well, I guess, I just realized that he was just a bad series of choices. It seemed like the easier way to get over you back then.”

“The truth comes out and I haven’t even offered you the vodka—this must be my lucky night.” He placed a few mini-bar vodka bottles in her hands before he went over to get a glass and some ice.

She didn’t respond, only sat on the couch inspecting the bottles.

“Thanks,” she said silently, once a glass was presented to her. Pouring the liquid over the cubes, she took a minute before taking a sip. “I just needed a safe place to go.”

“Oh,” he replied.

“If anyone can understand how I manage to get myself into these situations, it’s you.”

“What? I’m the one you _left_ that will listen to this shit. What happened to all I did wrong before, Veronica? I don’t see how this,” he waved his hands around the room, “is going to help you.” Quickly taking a drag on the beer bottle, Logan looked to see if she was going to give him the details.

“Well, I guess, I just realized that he wasn’t what I needed.” She scooted closer to Logan while articulating her point.

“I don’t buy it. You never admit to being wrong, Mars.”

“And when do you have a backbone?”

“Hmm…maybe it’s something I developed in the last three years without you, Veronica. I love you, sure, but I got that waiting around for you wasn’t really in my cards.” He moved away from her. “You can stay the night if you want.”

Jumping off the white leather, he left Veronica sitting there as he walked to his room.

The click of the door over the soft sobs of a blonde was the last thing Logan heard that night.

**You say you love me, love me again but if you love me- where have you been?  
** **You say you need me more than anyone else well go to hell, where have you been?**  
 **You showed up at my door today and said my friend why do you push me away**  
 **Your life with him was just so dull but what we had was something wonderful**

The next morning Logan found Veronica’s small frame on the couch. One of Dick’s blankets was wrapped around her.

“Morning,” he commented as he turned on the espresso machine.

Logan watched as she turned around to look at him. Groggy, all he heard was a “Ing,” followed by the rustle of the blanket.

After the coffee brewed, he handed her a cup. “So where have you been, Veronica? I can’t tell why I’m the only one you can turn to.”

“Well,” she said before taking a sip of her drink, “I guess I need someone who I thought might listen. Guess I was wrong.” She shrugged.

“Subtle, there.”

“I try. I think I just needed a different perspective, and you’re the only other person I could think of. Despite the fact that we haven’t really talked in three years, I think you know me better than anyone else.”

“Me,” he chirped as he placed one hand over his chest,” I never would have guessed.”

“I missed you, Logan,” she replied.

“Interesting choice there, V. I think if you missed me, or well, still cared for me, I would have seen some more interest from you.” He knew that being on the defensive wasn’t the best place to be, but after all of this time, he couldn’t help but think that something else was going on.

“You know I don’t do well with confrontation,” she started. He cut her off.

“Don’t, Veronica. You’re fine with confronting killers and rapists, but you’re so damn closed off when it comes to any personal emotions. You know I left you a message after we broke up?”

Eyes wide, Veronica stared for a moment. “What are you talking about Logan?”

“After that Madison stuff, I told you not to judge me, Veronica. I told you I loved you, and I heard nothing from you. More than three years later, and I finally get some honesty from you.”

Pushing away from the counter, Logan started to pace around the room.

“I didn’t know.”

“Right. That’s because you jump to conclusions and don’t let anyone explain.”

“It hurt, Logan. She made my life hell.”

“So did I, and you forgave me.”

“That was different.” She moved towards him, trying to touch his forearm to show that she was being serious.

“No, it’s not Veronica. No one is perfect, especially not you. Now, if you don’t mind me asking, what did Piz do to piss you off?”

“He proposed.”

Logan laughed. “Miss commitmentphobe runs at yet another sign of someone wanting to do more for you.”

“What if I told you I couldn’t do it because of you?” She turned away from him, hoping to hide the hurt look on her face.

“News flash, Veronica. If you fucking love me still, why the hell did it take you three years to tell me? I’m not going to run back to you just because you don’t want Piz and think I’ll do again.”

**You say you love me, you love me again but if you love me- where have you been?  
** **You say you need me more than anyone else well go to hell- where have you been?**  
 **No way! You wish! I don't need this! What makes you think I’d ever want you again?**  
 **Yeah right! As if! I don't need this What makes you think I'd ever want you again?**

Veronica stormed out of the suite, dropping the coffee mug to the floor.

Logan smirked.

Three years had taught him to say fuck you to any ideas of epic love. He had learned that declarations of undying love meant nothing. It was time to teach the same to Veronica Mars.


End file.
